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Gizmodo
13-05-2025
- Science
- Gizmodo
Gravity Could Be Proof We're Living in a Computer Simulation, New Theory Suggests
Gravity may not be a fundamental force of nature, but a byproduct of the universe streamlining information like a cosmic computer. We have long taken it for granted that gravity is one of the basic forces of nature–one of the invisible threads that keeps the universe stitched together. But suppose that this is not true. Suppose the law of gravity is simply an echo of something more fundamental: a byproduct of the universe operating under a computer-like code. That is the premise of my latest research, published in the journal AIP Advances. It suggests that gravity is not a mysterious force that attracts objects towards one another, but the product of an informational law of nature that I call the second law of infodynamics. It is a notion that seems like science fiction—but one that is based in physics and evidence that the universe appears to be operating suspiciously like a computer simulation. In digital technologies, right down to the apps in your phone and the world of cyberspace, efficiency is the key. Computers compact and restructure their data all the time to save memory and computer power. Maybe the same is taking place all over the universe? Information theory, the mathematical study of the quantification, storage and communication of information, may help us understand what's going on. Originally developed by mathematician Claude Shannon, it has become increasingly popular in physics and is used in a growing range of research areas. In a 2023 paper, I used information theory to propose my second law of infodynamics. This stipulates that information 'entropy', or the level of information disorganisation, will have to reduce or stay static within any given closed information system. This is the opposite of the popular second law of thermodynamics, which dictates that physical entropy, or disorder, always increases. Take a cooling cup of coffee. Energy flows from hot to cold until the temperature of the coffee is the same as the temperature of the room and its energy is minimum—a state called thermal equilibrium. The entropy of the system is a maximum at this point—with all the molecules maximally spread out, having the same energy. What that means is that the spread of energies per molecule in the liquid is reduced. If one considers the information content of each molecule based on its energy, then at the start, in the hot cup of coffee, the information entropy is maximum and at equilibrium the information entropy is minimum. That's because almost all molecules are at the same energy level, becoming identical characters in an informational message. So the spread of different energies available is reduced when there's thermal equilibrium. But if we consider just location rather than energy, then there's lots of information disorder when particles are distributed randomly in space—the information required to keep pace with them is considerable. When they consolidate themselves together under gravitational attraction, however, the way planets, stars and galaxies do, the information gets compacted and more manageable. In simulations, that's exactly what occurs when a system tries to function more efficiently. So, matter flowing under the influence of gravity need not be a result of a force at all. Perhaps it is a function of the way the universe compacts the information that it has to work with. Here, space is not continuous and smooth. Space is made up of tiny 'cells' of information, similar to pixels in a photo or squares on the screen of a computer game. In each cell is basic information about the universe—where, say, a particle is–and all are gathered together to make the fabric of the universe. If you place items within this space, the system gets more complex. But when all of those items come together to be one item instead of many, the information is simple again. The universe, under this view, tends to naturally seek to be in those states of minimal information entropy. The real kicker is that if you do the numbers, the entropic 'informational force' created by this tendency toward simplicity is exactly equivalent to Newton's law of gravitation, as shown in my paper. This theory builds on earlier studies of 'entropic gravity' but goes a step further. In connecting information dynamics with gravity, we are led to the interesting conclusion that the universe could be running on some kind of cosmic software. In an artificial universe, maximum-efficiency rules would be expected. Symmetries would be expected. Compression would be expected. And law–that is, gravity—would be expected to emerge from these computational rules. We may not yet have definitive evidence that we live in a simulation. But the deeper we look, the more our universe seems to behave like a computational process. Melvin M. Vopson is an associate professor of physics at the University of Portsmouth. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Physicist Says He's Identified a Clue That We're Living in a Computer Simulation
What if gravity were informed by the way matter was arranged in the universe — and a sign that we were living in a reality composed by a giant computer? In a new paper published in the journal AIP Advances, University of Portsmouth physicist Melvin Vopson offered a new interpretation of gravity, arguing that it could be the result of the universe trying to make itself less cluttered, thereby behaving much like a computer algorithm. "This is another example of data compression and computational optimization in our universe, which supports the possibility of a simulated or computational universe," he wrote. Vopson's article is part of a greater movement of scientists trying to explain the forces of nature by arguing that they're the result of an all-encompassing simulation. In the early 2000s, philosopher Nick Bostrom proposed that our reality is a computer simulation dreamed up by a highly advanced civilization, echoing the plot of the 1999 blockbuster "The Matrix." But proving the theory is a thorny issue, especially considering if we really were trapped in a simulation, its creators would likely have taken measures to ensure we're unable to peek behind the curtain. Vopson built on his own "second law of information dynamics" proposition, which holds that the "entropy of any system remains constant or increases over time," to argue that gravity is pulling together matter and objects in space to keep entropy at a minimum, much like a computer tidying and compressing data. "My findings in this study fit with the thought that the universe might work like a giant computer, or our reality is a simulated construct," said Vopson in a statement. "Just like computers try to save space and run more efficiently, the universe might be doing the same." "It's a new way to think about gravity," he added, "not just as a pull, but as something that happens when the universe is trying to stay organised." In his article, Vopson argued that information stored in elementary cells, defined as the smallest possible volume in space in quantum mechanics, informs the coordinates of matter inside the simulation, a kind of pixelation of ones and zeroes. "The process is identical to how a digital computer game, virtual reality application, or other advanced simulation would be designed," he said in the statement. Each cell can fit more than one particle, much like a computational system minimizing information content. "Put simply, it is far more computationally effective to track and compute the location and momentum of a single object in space, than numerous objects," Vopson argued. "Therefore, it appears that the gravitational attraction is just another optimising mechanism in a computational process that has the role to compress information." Vopson has long been a proponent of the simulation theory, arguing in 2022 that genomes of the COVID-19 virus exhibited a decreasing entropy over time, supporting evidence of his second law of information dynamics. In another eyebrow-raising paper, he posited that information could be a "fifth form of matter," again allegedly demonstrating that we live in a simulation. But whether his research will ever gain mainstream acceptance and approval outside of the fringes of the scientific community remains to be seen. After all, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence — especially when you're trying to turn reality itself on its head. More on simulation theory: Mathematician: Here's why the simulation theory is stupid
Daily Mail
29-04-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Is our universe the ultimate computer? Scientist says we're living in a simulation
A physicist has claimed that the science-fiction film, The Matrix may hold more truths than people first though and has pointed to gravity has a sign that we are living in a virtual simulation. In his new paper Melvin Vopson, an associate professor in physics at the University of Portsmouth, said our universe is the 'ultimate computer.' Gravity's pull – both on planet Earth and in outer space – is the universe trying to keep its vast amount of data organised, Vopson claims. Vopson adds that forcing objects with mass into one direction – for example downwards towards Earth's core – is similar to how computers compress code. The scientist said: 'The universe evolves in a way that the information content in it is compressed, optimized and organized – just as computers and computer code do. 'Hence, gravity appears to be another process of data compression in a possibly simulated universe.' The simulation theory is not unique to Professor Vopson and is popular among a number of well-known figures including Elon Musk. However, in recent years Vopson has been investigating the various cues that suggest we live in a simulated reality. His new study, published in AIP Advances, reports that gravity may be one of these everyday clues and 'evidence of a computational universe'. Gravitational attraction helps to reduce 'information entropy' – which is essentially how much information there is in an object in a given space. The study introduces a new way to think about gravity – not just as a pull, but as something that happens when the universe is trying to stay organised. Vopson said: 'My findings in this study fit with the thought that the universe might work like a giant computer, or our reality is a simulated construct.' The scientist stresses that he's not only talking about the gravitational pull we see on Earth and the 'apple falling on Isaac Newton's head' moment four centuries ago. But is instead speaking much more widely, gravity is a fundamental force throughout our vast universe, which is commonly said to be 93billion light-years across. In space, gravity has many roles including building entire galaxies, pulling planets into orbit around their stars, and influencing the motion of nearby objects. So, in space, matter and objects may be being pulled together because the universe is trying to keep information tidy and compressed. Vopson said: 'To put it simply, it is easier to compute all the properties and characteristics of a single object in space, rather than multiple objects. 'That is why objects in space are pulled together.' The physicist is known for formulating the principle that information is not just an abstract mathematical entity, but a 'physical, dominant, fifth state of matter'. He argues that information has mass and that all elementary particles – the smallest known building blocks of the universe – store information about themselves, similar to the way cells have DNA. He thinks bits – the unit of digital information – have their own mass and energy, which has wide-ranging implications for computing technologies, physics and cosmology. In a previous paper, Vopson established a new law of physics, called the 'second law of information dynamics' to explain how information behaves. His law establishes that the 'entropy', or disorder, in a system of information decreases rather than increases. This new law came as somewhat of a surprise, because it is the opposite of the second law of thermodynamics, established in the 1850s, which explains why we cannot unscramble an egg or why a glass cannot unbreak itself. As it turns out, the second law of infodynamics explains the behaviour of information in a way that the old law cannot. Vopson said; 'The second law of infodynamics requires the minimisation of the information content associated with any event or process in the universe. 'To put it simply, everything appears to evolve to an equilibrium state where the information content is minimal. 'Such behaviour is fully reminiscent of the rules deployed in programming languages and computer coding.'
New York Post
28-04-2025
- Science
- New York Post
Is this proof we're living in a ‘simulated universe'? Scientist's theory points to possible clue
Are we living in 'The Matrix' in real life? In the 1999 science-fiction film, Neo discovers that the universe is a simulation — but one scientist believes that the idea isn't all fiction. Dr. Melvin Vopson, an associate professor in physics at the University of Portsmouth in the UK, believes that gravity is a sign that we are living in a virtual simulation and the universe is the 'ultimate computer,' he alleged in a new paper. Advertisement 4 Dr. Melvin Vopson believes that the concept in 'The Matrix' isn't all fiction. Warner Bros/Village Roadshow Pictures/Kobal / Shutterstock In the research, published in AIP Advances, Vopson proposes the idea that gravity isn't just a 'pull' — it's actually something that occurs when the universe is trying to keep its data organized. Forcing objects with mass to be pulled toward the Earth's core is similar to how computers compress code, Vopson claimed. Advertisement 4 Keanu Reeves in 'The Matrix.' Everett Collection He added in the paper that gravitational pull is an 'example of data compression and computational optimization in our universe, which supports the possibility of a simulated or computational universe.' 'The universe evolves in a way that the information content in it is compressed, optimized and organized – just as computers and computer code do,' he told the Daily Mail. 'Hence, gravity appears to be another process of data compression in a possibly simulated universe.' The gravitational attraction helps reduce 'information entropy,' which essentially means how much information there is in an object in any given space, the study alleges. Advertisement 4 In the 1999 science-fiction film, Neo discovers that the universe is a simulation. Warner Bros/Village Roadshow Pictures/Kobal / Shutterstock Gravity plays many roles in space, including the building of galaxies, putting planets into orbit around stars and influencing the motion of nearby objects. So, in Vopson's theory, these objects may be pulled together because the universe is simply trying to keep everything clean and compressed. 'To put it simply, it is easier to compute all the properties and characteristics of a single object in space, rather than multiple objects,' he told the Daily Mail. 'That is why objects in space are pulled together.' 4 The typical evolution of matter in the universe under gravitational attraction. AIP Advances Advertisement His belief stems from the concept of entropy in information theory, which he has argued in a previous paper. 'A super complex universe like ours, if it were a simulation, would require a built-in data optimization and compression in order to reduce the computational power and the data storage requirements to run the simulation,' he explained in a piece for The Conversation in 2023. 'This is exactly what we are observing all around us, including in digital data, biological systems, mathematical symmetries and the entire universe.' This time, rather, Vopson focused on gravity rather than biological systems. 'My findings in this study fit with the thought that the universe might work like a giant computer, or our reality is a simulated construct,' Vopson explained in a statement. 'Just like computers try to save space and run more efficiently, the universe might be doing the same. It's a new way to think about gravity – not just as a pull, but as something that happens when the universe is trying to stay organized.'
The Independent
17-04-2025
- Science
- The Independent
The secret to getting a perfect strike in bowling, according to scientists
The secret to scoring the perfect strike in a round of ten-pin bowling has been unlocked, according to a multinational team of scientists. Using a set of complex differential equations, first developed by 18th-century polymath Leonhard Euler, the researchers ran simulations to work out the optimal bowling strategy, accounting for factors ranging from spin and friction to oil patterns on the boards. And the findings could have implications for competitive bowling at the highest levels of the sport. Physicists and engineers from Loughborough University and a number of American universities worked together on the research project, which was published in the journal AIP Advances. They based their simulations on the bowling style of a hypothetical 'average' bowler, releasing the ball at 17.9 mph at a 45-degree angle with a 416 rpm spin rate. 'Bowling ball movement is surprisingly challenging to model,' said Simon Ji, of Princeton University in New Jersey, noting that friction conditions and ball weights vary widely from alley to alley. However, he added, their models had shown 'very realistic ball behaviour, and were verified by several professional players and coaches'. The researchers also paid particular attention to the impact of oil patterns on strike chance. 'In competitive bowling, oil is applied to the lanes in patterns specifically designed to create challenging friction profiles,' they noted, examining the conditions of oil patterns used in current bowling tournaments down to the most minute detail. Based on these models, the authors found that the best strategy would be to release the ball at the 28th board from the left, at 1.8 degrees to the right of a straight line. This will allow the ball to take a curved path, the most effective route to scoring a strike, while also allowing for a substantial margin of error - as they note, 'in real life, no bowler can hit their target with 100% accuracy.' The optimal shot described in the study would work for a particular bowler, launching a ball onto a particular oil pattern - but the models, the researchers say, could be applied for different players in a range of scenarios. The authors hope that their research might be put to practical use in the field of competitive bowling, which has seen particular renewed interest in the UK in recent years. The number of tenpin lanes has reached a record 5,700, and the largest national bowling alley operator, Hollywood Bowl, enjoyed unprecedented sales of £230 million last year. 'The simulation model we created could become a useful tool for players, coaches, equipment companies and tournament designers,' said Dr Curtis Hooper, of Loughborough University. Mr Ji said, 'We are already in contact with several well-known coaches in the field, and hope to tailor our simulations to better fit their needs in the near future.'
